Mishandling of a recalled vehicle buy back

Posted Mon January 10, 2011 12:26 pm, by Stacy C. written to Ford Motor Company

My Ford Windstar was part of the recall involving the cracked rear axle. I took my van in shortly before Halloween, Oct. 26. It was determined that my axle was cracked and I wasn't allowed to drive it home, but I wasn't given a rental car because there weren't any available. Ford greatly misjudged how many cars would actually be recalled. It took two days before Enterprise (working with the Ford Company) could secure a car for me, but we had already borrowed my in-laws van since I have kids and drive in a carpool, I couldn't be without a car. I told them to forget it.

We decided to take the buy back offer from Ford. Our car was 12 years old and they were offering a decent amount, more than we would get with a trade in. I asked who to talk to, when to go to the Dealership, etc. I went the next day, Oct. 28, to sign paper work and hand in my title. The person I was to speak to was in a staff meeting (which I should have been told was going on) and no one else knew what to do with me. When they finally figured out what I needed to sign, I sat down with a salesman, who went through the papers with me, had me sign them and I gave him my title.

My complaint begins when the first buy back offer was "sent" - although I believe otherwise - and "lost" by FedEx. Right after Thanksgiving, I called to check on the status of our buy back and find the Germain Ford dealership manager, Ralph Cumston, had no idea that I was in or had signed any papers. That's when he told me the first packet (with my title) was lost. I believe they never actually sent it. All the packets had tracking numbers on them. I was told they couldn't be tracked. He promised to send another packet out right away and put a rush on everything. How he did that without the original title, I have no idea.

I called a week later (Dec. 8th) to check on it to make sure it had been received by Ford. I was told it had been. I called Dec. 21st to see what the status was. Mr. Cumston had no idea and has no way to check.

Called Ford today, a month later, Jan. 10th, to check on the status AGAIN. The recall hotline number the Ford company gave me is useless. They are very good at telling you how sorry they are, but offer no real information.

Woman I spoke to told me the process should only take three weeks from start to finish. She doesn't know why it has taken so long. My case was passed on to the Windstar team so they can investigate.

At this point, I have had no van for over two months, no buy back check and I am furious with the whole process. CSR had the gall to tell me "we're all in this together" when, frankly, it's just me without my car or money. She has a car. The dealership has a car. All I know is Ford has lost a customer for life. And I will be happy to tell everyone I know not to buy a Ford.

I want Ford to give me some answers and get me my check for the buy back. Yesterday.